I played "run to nowhere" but despite being listed as an example of the kind of thing we're going for, does arguable have a couple of jumpscares. Admittedly they're quite lite in the sense there's no loud screams or anything like that, so I was wondering if that kind of jumpscare (eg sudden cuts that take you by surprise and sure made me jump) are acceptable or if our games need to be completely absent of jumpscares.

Personally, I think they can serve quite a strong purpose. Even if a jumpscare isn't actually seen as scary, it's much easier to build an atmosphere when I'm terrified something's going to jump out at me. I had assumed based on the "no jumpscares" rule that there wouldn't be any in "run to nowhere", had I known and the atmosphere would have hit a lot harder.

Yeah, that part confused me, too. I think the point of the rule is that you shouldn't rely on jumpscares, though.

I think it is more to make the builders be more considerate about the "tension and release" cycle instead of having something like the infamous "maze.exe" game in which you just play a normal game a suddenly has a screaming face on the screen. Think more along the lines of fatal frame games where the ghosts appear out of nowhere or even, at a stretch, the "Five Nights at Freddies" games in which there is an awful tense moment before the dolls pop out and go booga-booga.

I mean, otherwise everyone could just make a game of pong and then throw in a screamer and *bam!* horror game.

...But that's just how I read it anyway. :)